Peru

Helvetas supports Peru’s rural and urban population, in particular small farmers, to better cope with new challenges such as climate change, nature-based solutions, inclusive economic growth and migration. Our priority is to protect the livelihoods of the Andean population through the sustainable use of natural resources: water, land, grazing lands and forest.

Capital

Lima
Area

1,285,216,000 km²
Poverty rate*

28% of the population live under the poverty line of $1.90 per day
UN DEVELOPMENT INDEX*

Rank: 79 out of 193
Population

33,845,000
People supported per year

12,074
Thematic focus

Climate & Disaster Resilience
Education and Vocational Skills
Private Sector Development
Advocacy
Gender & Social Equity
Humanitarian Response

* Source: UN Data/ INEI Data

Thanks to a diversified economy driven by sectors such as mining, agriculture, fisheries, and services, Peru has achieved sustained growth and significant progress in reducing poverty since the early 2000s. However, these gains remain unevenly distributed. Rural and Indigenous populations—particularly in the highlands and Amazon—continue to face structural barriers, with poverty rates in some regions exceeding 40%, compared to a national average of just over 30%.

Environmental degradation, largely caused by illegal deforestation and extractive activities, continues to undermine rural livelihoods. The effects of climate change—such as frequent floods, droughts, and landslides—further threaten food security and agricultural productivity.

Efforts are underway to promote inclusive development and environmental sustainability. These include cash transfer initiatives targeting vulnerable populations and integrated landscape management projects that seek to balance conservation with income generation. Nonetheless, addressing long-standing inequalities and building resilience in the face of environmental and economic shocks remain pressing challenges.

Traditional and modern methods in farming

Helvetas supports smallholders to secure their livelihoods. They are reviving traditional practices and introducing modern methods to adapt to climate change. For example, they grow traditional, more resistant varieties of corn and quinoa. Helvetas also trains farmers’ associations to better access markets, negotiate higher prices for their produce and comply with the standards required to export their products.

Adaption to climate change

The sustainable management of natural resources remains a central priority, as environmental degradation directly threatens the livelihood of Andean and Amazonian communities. We work in close coordination with national and regional authorities –particularly the ministries of Environment and Economy— to share knowledge and scale up proven climate change adaptation strategies. By integrating successful local practices into public policies and national programs.

Visit the website of Helvetas Peru.